How many small boats crossed the Channel today?

The Home Office publishes the number of people detected crossing the English Channel in small boats every day, with the number of boats, on GOV.UK. The page covers the last seven days and links to a time series going back to 2018.

Daily figures are provisional and can change. For year-to-date and annual totals, and for nationality and age, use the quarterly immigration system statistics. Days with zero crossings are often linked to weather, which the figures themselves do not record.

Official sources: Small boat arrivals: last 7 days · Immigration system statistics (quarterly)

The latest figure

The newest value is at Office for National Statistics (ONS). More on it: UK net migration.

When is the next figure out?

Twice a year; next release date to be announced on the ONS release calendar. No API: the spreadsheet file name changes with each release and must be read from the dataset page

Every official release due in the next two weeks is on the release calendar.

Terms used in this answer

• Net migration
  Long-term immigration minus long-term emigration over a period, usually a rolling year. It measures the net change in population from migration.
• Irregular migration (illegal entry routes)
  People arriving in the UK without permission, such as by small boat or hidden in vehicles. Home Office statistics now use the term illegal entry routes.
• Provisional figures
  Early estimates published before all data are in, so users get timely figures. They are expected to be updated when later data arrive.
• Revisions
  Changes to previously published figures, made when more complete data, improved methods or updated seasonal factors become available. A normal part of official statistics.
• Administrative data
  Information collected by organisations while running a service, such as tax records, benefit claims or hospital activity, and then used to produce statistics.

Where the figures come from

• Higher education and student finance statistics (HESA, Student Loans Company, Office for Students and DfE)
  Official figures on UK student numbers, international students, student loan debt, graduate earnings, university finances and apprenticeships.

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This answer says where the official figures are published and how they are defined. It gives no verdict on any claim. To report an error, send a correction request. More questions about immigration, small boats and asylum: all Immigration, small boats and asylum questions.